The Produce News

Someone once told me, “Don’t try to be all things to all people.”
Well, that never went over too well with me, especially when it came to produce variety. I always wanted to handle every item, every size and every pack that was available in the industry. Some called me a “produce variety freak.” Every new item a sales representative introduced to me was welcomed with open arms into the system.
As new produce items continued...
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Alison Kellogg, brand manager for Litehouse, based in Sandpoind, ID, invites everyone to swing by Booth No. 239 at the Southern Exposure show as the company will be sampling its newest line additions, showcasing its new look and feel, and sharing some of the exciting programs it’s rolling out in 2018.
“We’re excited to be showcasing our new look and feel for...
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With its sights set on expanding its offerings and increasing its foodservice business, the sixth generation of Smith’s Farm Inc. is assuming a larger leadership role at the company.
Tara Smith Vighetti, along with sister Emily Smith and cousin Zach Smith, represent the broccoli and cauliflower grower’s sixth generation, which will be taking a more active role...
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J&D Produce announced the hiring of Eduardo De la Fuente as the director of food safety. He has over 35 years of international food industry experience in food safety, auditing, employee training, and quality control processes.
“We are thrilled to have someone of Eduardo’s caliber join the J&D...
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Alison Kellogg, brand manager for Litehouse, based in Sandpoind, ID, invites everyone to swing by Booth No. 239 at the Southern Exposure show as the company will be sampling its newest line additions, showcasing its new look and feel, and sharing...

Knowing what today’s consumers want in packaging choices, and giving them what they want, is just one of the things that Gardners, PA-based Rice Fruit Co. has specialized in for more than 105 years. And during that time, it’s kept an edge on...

The mission of the Baton Rouge, LA-based Louisiana Sweet Potato Advertising & Marketing Commission is to promote the consumption of sweet potatoes, in particular Louisiana sweet potatoes, by educating consumers on the many nutritional attributes and...

What's New

Todays Headlines

Someone once told me, “Don’t try to be all things to all people.”
Well, that never went over too well with me, especially when it came to produce variety. I always wanted to handle every item, every size and every pack that was available in the industry. Some called me a “produce variety freak.” Every new item a sales representative introduced to me was welcomed with open arms into the system.
As new produce items continued to enter the scene and warehouse slots became snug, this drew phone...

Wegmans has been named one of the 2018 Fortune 100 Best Companies to Work For, according to global research and consulting firm Great Place to Work and Fortune. This year marks the 21st anniversary of the Fortune 100 Best Companies to Work For list. Wegmans has been on the list every year, and this year ranks No. 2.
The list is based on survey responses from more than 310,000 employees rating their workplace culture on 50-plus elements of the workplace. These include trust in managers,...

On Feb. 5, Catania Worldwide, headquartered in Mississauga, ON, was fully operational in its new Catania New Jersey facility. The 40,000-square-foot facility is in Vineland, in the heart of the state’s agricultural district.
Company President Paul Catania said one of the major services the company is offering in Vineland is storage.Paul Catania Jr. flanked by staff members on the packingline. Photo by Paco Baeza.
“There is a demand for storage facilities in the area, and our operation will be of...

H‑E‑B, one of the nation's leading independent food retailers, announced that Favor Delivery, an innovative on‑demand delivery service headquartered in Austin, TX, will become a wholly owned subsidiary. The terms of the transaction were not disclosed.
With this partnership, H‑E‑B accelerates its path to become a digital retail industry leader in Texas, enabling customers to choose how they shop, pay for and receive products. The partnership also complements H‑E‑B's brick‑and‑mortar operations by...

The industry is constantly evolving, and at CPMA 2018 the association is offering two unique keynote speakers who will address hot button topics and teach attendees how the industry will need to respond to both consumer and technological needs to grow well into the future.Terry Stuart
As Deloitte Canada’s chief innovation officer, you could say Terry Stuart knows a few things about new technologies and their impact on business. Join him as he discusses the future of emerging technologies,...

Kroger has opened its Culinary Innovation Center in downtown Cincinnati.
"Kroger's new Culinary Innovation Center is an exciting state-of-the-art test kitchen and education center," said Daniel Hammer, Kroger's vice president of culinary development and new business. "As we focus on redefining the customer experience and developing talent through food inspiration and uplift, as outlined in Restock Kroger, this R&D lab will allow us to accelerate product development for Our Brands, produce new...

Church Bros. Farms, a leading fresh produce farming-shipping company and grower-owned processor, True Leaf Farms, recently made additions to its sales department. Lisa Dennis was promoted to assistant sales manager, and Bobby Nunes has joined the sales team.
In her new role, Dennis is responsible for supporting in-house sales staff and reports to Tom Bramers, sales manager.
Dennis has been with the company 10 years and has been in the produce industry 20 years having started in the business in her...

After 15 years representing DiMare Fresh Inc. as its vice president and chief operating officer, Eric Janke retired Jan. 31.
Janke’s career began over 40 years ago when as a young man he was sweeping floors and bagging groceries at Fleming Foods. He has held many positions in the produce industry from produce clerk to sales, procurement and operational positions. In the last four decades, Janke has worked for places such as Albertson’s, Sysco, Tom Lange Corporate, Ready Pac Foods, Freshway...

One of the challenges that many at-home cooks find draining is the time that goes into meal prepping. While testing new soup recipes, the Meijer chefs realized that there was an opportunity to cut time away from dicing vegetables. The retailer’s new Meal Inspirations draw on the culinary skill of creating a classic mirepoix, defined as a flavorful mixture of diced vegetables and seasonings. Meijer also introduced four new vegetable kits called Roasters, which are perfect for roasting.
Each...

The U.S. Department of Agriculture has imposed sanctions on four produce businesses for failure to pay reparation awards issued under the Perishable Agricultural Commodities Act.
The following businesses and individuals are currently restricted from operating in the produce industry:
Taylor Produce LLC, operating out of Rigby, ID, for failing to pay a $1.33 million award in favor of an Idaho seller. As of the issuance date of the reparation order, Alan Taylor Produce and Alan L. Taylor were...

The Canadian Produce Marketing Association announced Execulytics Consulting as the winner of the Monthly Fresh Health Award. The company has showed great dedication in spreading the Half Your Plate message to customers by engaging on social media and featuring the brand prominently on its website.
“Half Your Plate has become an important philosophy for me as it not only promotes healthy lifestyles for Canadians, it promotes the health of the produce industry. As a service provider in the...

Weis Markets has upgraded its Weis Preferred Shopper program, which now offers discount rewards on certain Weis brand products, including Weis Quality bananas. It has also added a 10 percent discount on Weis brand items every Tuesday for seniors 60 years and older.
“Our upgraded rewards program now offers more of our customers reward discounts on some of our best-selling products and is particularly helpful to those in areas with limited gas reward options,” said Ron Bonacci, Weis Markets’...

NOGALES, AZ — Lance Jungmeyer, president of the Fresh Produce Association of the Americas, described some industry concerns being addressed by his Nogales-based association.
Jungmeyer was interviewed before he attended the sixth round of NAFTA negotiations in Montreal.Lance Jungmeyer
But, speaking in general terms favoring the free trade agreement, he noted a “powerful story” exposed by businesses in the United States, Canada and Mexico that are often invested in the other North American...

Alfonso Cano, formerly assistant produce director at Southern California-based Northgate Gonzales Markets, has joined Albertson’s Inc. in Boise, ID, as director of produce and floral.
Cano, a Southern California native, has moved to Idaho and began his new position the first week of February. He reportedly will be involved in the expansion of Albertson’s Lucky banner. He recently self-identified as being affiliated with Lucky at an event of the Fresh Produce & Floral Council. Cano is the 2018...

Hazel Technologies Inc. has successfully completed research trials with Cornell University to validate a new post-harvest quality technology for fresh pears. Hazel Pear joins the Hazel suite of technologies and is available to growers and packers during the 2018 U.S. pear season.
Pears pose a unique challenge to growers, packers and retailers. Overripe pears are fragile and a significant source of shrink. Researchers at Cornell used Hazel Pear to extend shelf life in a simulated retail...

Super Starr International enters a new season of production with a high volume of sweet, refreshing honeydews available now until April. With the brand’s Fair Trade Certification, people can expect to continuously receive excellent products backed by sustainable practices from Super Starr.
Grown in the fertile soil of Tecomán, Mexico, the Super Starr honeydew melons receive adequate exposure to sunshine and nutrient-rich volcanic soil to grow some of the sweetest fruits. This season, Super...

Okanagan Specialty Fruits Inc.’s third nonbrowning Arctic apple variety, Arctic Fuji, has been approved by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency and Health Canada. Arctic Fuji trees will join the growing commercial orchards of Arctic Golden and Arctic Granny apples in spring 2018.
The CFIA and HC announced that the Arctic Fuji variety “did not pose a greater risk to human health than apples currently available on the Canadian market. In addition, Health Canada also concluded that the Arctic Fuji...

Chinese New Year kicks off on Feb. 16, celebrating the Year of the Dog. Although celebrations vary by region and household, they all have one custom in common: creating dishes that give blessings in the New Year. Vegetables are staple items in many Chinese New Year dishes because they symbolize the coming of spring.
The Meijer produce buyers and Meijer Test Kitchen chefs Chad Beuter and Brian C. Williams put together a list of great fruits and veggies that are featured in many Chinese New Year...

Dole Food Co. is capitalizing on growing demand for its chopped salads and increased customer preference for Greek-inspired flavors with the launch of the Dole Greek Chopped Salad Kit, now shipping nationwide.
The new SKU offers shoppers a restaurant-caliber experience by combining bite-sized Romaine lettuce, feta cheese and sweet onion pita chips with herb oregano seasoning and Dole’s Own Greek Vinaigrette dressing. It becomes the 10th offering in the Dole Chopped Salad Kit line and 17th Dole...

In the current transportation market, we are seeing through route guides and spot market opportunities that there is a higher rate of available loads than there is available capacity. At the same time of this tight capacity, consumers are demanding products faster than ever before. One solution is utilization of service centers. They can be a point of origin to distribute, to extract waste, and to optimize over-the-road time. Service centers can be helpful for offloading and reloading of...

The recent merger of Lane Southern Orchards with Taylor Orchards combines acreage, facilities and innovation, making this powerhouse team the largest peach and pecan operation in the United States. The consolidated operation will pack peaches under the Lane Southern Orchards label.
Taylor Orchards currently farms 3,000 acres of peaches and an additional 950 acres of row crops including peanuts and soybeans, and Lane Southern Orchards currently farms 2,000 acres of peaches and 3,500 acres of...

Retailers across the United States are selling more organic fruit year-over-year and Stemilt’s increased supplies and extended season of key Artisan Organics apple varieties are ready to keep that growth happening as spring arrives. Stemilt is encouraging retailers to begin planning organic apple promotions for Earth Day, which will be celebrated on Sunday, April 22 this year.
“Earth Day is a great time to run organic apple ads and push the organic category,” said Brianna Shales, Stemilt’s...

NOGALES, AZ — The Fresh Produce Association of the Americas is cooperating with other produce groups around the country to improve the worsening availability of transportation.
“The FPAA, Texas International Produce Association and other groups are working through United Fresh to approach this on an industry-wide basis,” said Lance Jungmeyer, president of the Nogales-based FPAA.An hour north of Nogales is the port of Tucson. This port’s rail and cold warehousing infrastructure offer Nogales...

Walmart has hired Rachel Brand as executive vice president of global governance and corporate secretary. Brand will report to President and Chief Executive Officer Doug McMillon. Additionally, the company's board of directors has appointed Sarah Friar, chief financial officer of Square Inc., as a new independent director to the company’s board, effective immediately. Friar becomes the 12 member of the board and will also serve as a member of the company’s Audit Committee and Strategic Planning and...

According to a report from Mexico News Daily, it could take seven months to repair the Mazatlán-to-Durango highway, where a diesel fuel truck exploded on the night of Jan. 13 atop El Carrizo, one of the new highway’s many towering bridges. This would create eastbound shipping challenges for west Mexico produce growers until the end of the summertime shipping.On the night of Jan. 13, a diesel fuel tanker truck rolled and exploded, causing severe damage to the El Carrizo bridge. Photo courtesy...

While the rest of the country will be glued to their television sets cheering on team USA in the Winter Olympics, the associates at Tops Friendly Markets are gearing up for their own Olympics, with a twist. Over the next four weeks, associates across Tops’ three-state footprint will be challenging one another to a produce-themed Olympic competition to see will who will bring home the gold.
“With the Winter Olympics under way we felt this was a great opportunity to encourage a little healthy...

Honeycrisp admirers near and far will have something exciting to look forward to this spring and summer — a longer Honeycrisp season. Washington state-based Stemilt Growers will be expanding its Honeycrisp season through mid-summer with a new brand called Honeyhill.
“Honeyhill is an exciting addition to include in our family of brands as we will be offering one of the most popular apple varieties for a longer timeframe,” said Roger Pepperl, Stemilt marketing director. “We’re choosing the best...